Hydrotherapeutic apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1963 a r R T E O E mm m V mm {Mn 50 4 4 3 m M 0 r P I 1 I l I l I I I I I I I I I I I l l l II] M 4 J n I ll .lnll HHHHIII|IIIIIIIILIIII|I lflnu l ll hlmuu I 5E 4 m 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEKS'.

Feb. 8, 1966 J. BARKER ETAL HYDROTHERAPEUTIG APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1963 JOAN BAR/(ER OQAL C. PP/C/(ETT ///////////////////////M//l l United States Patent 3,233,252 HYDRQTHERAPEUTIQ APPARATUS Joan Barker, 741 N. Beatty St., Pittsburgh 16, ?a., and Oral C. Priclrett, 3201 Longwood Drive, Pittsburgh 27,

Filed June 20, 1963, Ser. N 289,260 7 Claims. (Cl. 4182) This invention relates to hydrotherapy, and more particularly for apparatus for treating the feet and the legs with circulating water.

It has been found that some ailments can be treated effectively by immersing the affected parts in water and circulating the water around them. However, it is difficult to do this in the home without special expensive apparatus, which also may be heavy and bulky.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide hydrotherapeutic apparatus for treating the feet and legs and even the hands, which is simple and inexpensive in construction, light in weight, compact, and easy to use.

In accordance with this invention a small tubis provided that is not much larger than necessary to receive both feet of a patient and extend up around the calves of his legs. A nozzle is mounted in the side wall of the tub a few inches above its bottom for directing a jet of water into the tub and circulating it around the feet and legs. The outer end of the nozzle is formed for attachment to a hose that can be conveniently connected to a faucet, such as a bathtub faucet. To confine the water supply to the lower part of the tub until the water level has risen above the nozzle, a shield is supported in the tub for deflecting the incoming water downward. The shield is so mounted that it can be moved upward away from the nozzle when the water rises high enough to prevent it from being sprayed out of the tub. Preferably, the nozzle has three outlet passages in a common plane, an axial passage and two diverging passages. With this arrangement, the end of the nozzle is made rotatable so that the plane of the jets can be turned to circulate the water where desired most.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus with a piece of the side wall broken away;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken on the line IIl-III of PEG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the nozzle taken on the line V-V of FIG 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the nozzle tip rotated 90 from the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a receptacle or tub I is formed from any suitable material, but for reasons of cheapness and lightness, a plastic or fiberglass is preferred. The size and shape of the tub in horizontal section is such that it will receive both feet of a patient who is sitting in a natural position. The side wall should extend upward nearly to the knees. There should be adequate room around the feet for circulation of water, but still the tubshould be small enough to insure that the water can be made to circulate rapidly around and against the feet and ankles and legs. The rear portion of the side wall is bowed backward as shown in FIG. 1, while the front portion may be provided with a pair of horizontally spaced forwardly bowed portions, all for the purpose of improving circulation in the tub. The tub is relatively small and easy to handle.

To deliver water to the tub and circulate it rapidly therein, a substantially horizontal nozzle 2 is mounted in an opening 3 in the side wall, most suitably at the center of the front of the tub a few inches above its bottom as shown in FIG. 3 so that the nozzle will point toward the ankles. The nozzle includes a threaded tube 4 that extends through the tub wall, in which it is sealed and clamped by means of a nut 5 screwed onto the tube and drawing a collar 6 on the tube inside the tub outward to press a sealing gasket 7 against the side wall. Screwed on the inner end of the tube is a ring 8 that projects forward from the tube to encircle the rear end of a nozzle tip 9. As shown in FIG. 4, the ring and tip have inter engaging shoulders 10, so that the ring holds the tip in place but permits it to be turned on its axis. The nozzle tip is provided with a substantially horizontal axial outlet passage 11 for a jet of water. For best results, the tip also is provided with a pair of forwardly diverging outlet passages 12 located on opposite sides of the central passage, with all three passages in the same plane. The outer end of the nozzle tube receives the threaded coupling 13 of a hose 14, the opposite end of which may be provided with a suitable adapter (not shown) for fastening it to a convenient faucet, generally a bathtub faucet because it is desirable to place this tub in a bathtub to catch the water overflowing from the foot tub and direct it to the bathtub drain.

When a person is about to use this hydrotherapeutic apparatus, he may turn the water on only part way in order that only small jets will emerge from the nozzle until the tub has been filled to a level above the nozzle. Then the Water can be turned on fully because the incoming jets then will not splash or spray out of the top of the tub. The jets of water issuing from the nozzle cause the water in the tub to circulate vigorously around the patients feet, ankles and legs. This circulation can be controlled to a considerable extent by turning the nozzle in order to rotate the common plane of its outlet passages to another position. This plane is horizontal in FIGS. 3 and 4, but vertical in FIG. 6. Of course, it can be located at any desired angle between horizontal and vertical. When the Water rises to the top of the tub it can either overflow the top, or the upper part of the tub may be provided with large holes 15 (FIGS 1 and 2), through which the water can escape. These holes can also serve as hand holes for carrying the tub. The tub can be emptied by simply dumping it or, if desired, it can be provided with a drain.

Another feature of this invention is that the water can be turned on full force at the start in order to quickly fill the tub, by providing the apparatus with a shield 17 that will confine the incoming water to the lower part of the tub until the water level rises high enough to cover the nozzle. In other words, a suitable shield will defleet the water jets downward and prevent water from spraying or splashing out of the tub. Such a shield may be in the form of a lightweight hollow box-like member provided in its bottom with a recess 18 that permits the shield to fit down over the nozzle. Three sides and the top of the recess are closed by the shield itself, and the remaining side is closed by the nozzle and side wall of the tub. Only the bottom of the recess is open. The shield may be supported in the tub by providing the tub side wall directly above the nozzle with a vertical rib 19 that has vertical grooves 20 in its opposite sides. The adjoining part of the shield is bifurcated and straddles the rib and has vertical tongues 21 (FIG. 4) pointing toward each other and slidably mounted in the grooves. The shield is mounted on the rib by inserting the lower ends of the tongues in the upper ends of the grooves and then sliding the shield down inside the tub until it comes to rest on the nozzle. When the water level in the tub becomes high enough to avoid any danger of water spraying out of the top of the tub, the shield can be raised o: and removed from the tub. By using a lightweight hollow shield and providing a fairly loose fit between it and the rib, the shield will float up with the rising water and need not be removed from the tub unless desired.

It will be seen that this hydrotherapeutic apparatus is ideally suited for use in the home, thereby avoiding trips to hospitals or doctors offices for treatments. The apparatus takes up but little room, it is easy to handle and carry about and simple to use. Not the least of its merits is its relative inexpensiveness, which puts it in the reach of practically everyone needing the kind of treatments it affords.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus for treating the feet and legs, comprising a tub adapted to receive both feet of a patient and having a side wall adapted to extend up the legs, a nozzle mounted in said wall a few inches above the bottom of the tub for directing a jet of water into the tub and circulating water therein, the outer end of the nozzle being formed for attachment to a hose delivering water to the nozzle, a shield in the tub for confining the entering water to the lower part of the tub until the water level therein rises above the nozzle, and means supporting the shield in the tub but permitting movement of the shield upward away from the nozzle when the water rises above it.

2. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus according to claim 1,

in which said nozzle has a central substantially horizontial outlet passage between forwardly diverging outlet passages.

3. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus according to claim ii, in which said nozzle has a central substantially hori- Al zontal outlet passage between only two forwardly diverging outlet passages in a common plane therewith, andthe portion of the nozzle containing said passages is rotatable on the axis of said horizontal passage to turn said plane.

4. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus according to claim l, in which said supporting means includes a vertical tongue and groove connection between said shield and tub to permit the shield to slide vertically.

5. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, in which said supporting means includes a vertical tongue and groove connection between said shield and tub to permit the shield to slide vertically, and said shield is hollow and floatable upward on the water rising in the tub.

6. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, in which said supporting means connect the shield to the tub wall directly above the nozzle, and the bottom of the shield is provided with an open bottom recess receiving the nozzle when the shield is in its lower position.

'7. Hydrotherapeutic apparatus for treating the feet and legs, comprising a tub adapted to receive both feet of a patient and having a side wall adapted to extend up the legs, a nozzle mounted in said wall a few inches above the bottom of the tub for directing a jet of water into the tub and circulating water therein, the outer end of the nozzle being formed for attachment to a hose delivering water to the nozzle, a shield in the tub for confining the entering water to the lower part of the tub until the water level therein rises above the nozzle, and a vertical rib joined to the inside of said tub wall above the nozzle and provided at opposite sides with vertical grooves, said shield being disposed against said rib and having a portion straddling the rib and provided with vertical tongues slidably mounted in said grooves so that the shield can move vertically on the rib.

No references cited.

LAVERNE D, GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. HYDROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE FEET AND LEGS, COMPRISING A TUB ADAPTED TO RECEIVED BOTH FEET OF A PATIENTS AND HAVING A SIDE WALL ADAPTED TO EXTEND UP THE LEGS, A NOZZLE MOUNTED IN SAID WALL A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE TUB FOR DIRECTING A JET OF WATER INTO THE TUB AND CIRCULATING WATER THEREIN, THE OUTER END OF THE NOZZLE BEING FORMED FOR ATTACHMENT TO A HOSE DELIVERING WATER TO THE NOZZLE, A SHIELD IN THE TUB FOR CONFINING THE ENTERING WATER TO THE LOWER PART OF THE TUB UNTIL THE WATER LEVEL THEREIN RISES ABOVE THE NOZZLE, AND MEANS SUPPORTING THE SHIELD IN THE TUB BUT PERMIT TING MOVEMENT OF THE SHIELD UPWARD AWAY FROM THE NOZZLE WHEN THE WATER RISES ABOVE IT. 